Automobile lighting



July 18, l933- R. K. wlNNlNG 1,918,579

AUTOMOBILE LIGHTING Filed March 18, 1935 Pff V y .o

ATTORNEYS Patented July 18, 1933 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE ROBERT K. WINNING, OF WAUWATOSA, WISCONSIN, ASSIGNOR TO CLUM MANUFAC- TUBING COMPANY, OF MILWAUKEE, WISCONSIN, A. CORPORATION F WISCONSIN AUTOMOBILE LIGHTING Application filed March .18, 1933.

This invention relates to improvements iu automobile lighting.

It is t-he object of the invention to provide means for accomplishing in a manner simple of operation` the effective control of automobile lighting circuits in a manner satisfactory for different conditions met in city and country driving.

It is now a generally accepted practice to 1D adjust automobile headlights in such a manner that the axes of the respective beams converge slightly. lt is, therefore, the left hand lamp which illuminates the right hand side of the road, and only the right hand lamp can cause glare in the eyes of the operator of an approaching vehicle. Thus it is only necessary for safety on the open road to dim (or depress the beam of) thc right hand light when approaching another vehicle. In the close quarters required by city traffic, however, the horizontal beam of even the left hand lamp may be offensive to another car, and the horizontal or bright beam of the right hand lamp should never be used.

Accordingly, it is the specific purpose of the present invention to provide an organization in which the main lighting switch is of special design and so operates with respect to the foot actuated dimming switch as to enable the dimming switch to perform two quite different functions according to whether the main switch is set'in a position for city driving or for country driving.

In city driving the right hand light would always be dimmed (or have its beam depressed) while the` left hand light may be operated either bright or dim, according to the position of the foot actuated dimmer switch. For country driving the left hand light will remain bright under all circumstances and the operation of the foot actuated dimming switch will change the right hand headlight from bright to dim and vice versa. It is also desired that the hook-up be such that in parking, aud also whenever the foot actuated dimrner switch is set to dim one or the other of the headlights, the side lamps will be energized.

It will be understood that throughout this specification the employment of any means Serial No. 661,475.

for reducing the brilliance of the headla-mps in the eyes of an approaching driver will be treated as a dimming of the light or lights involved. From the standpoint of the present invention it is broadly immaterial whether such dimming be accomplished by incorporating a resistance in the circuit, by shifting the position of the bulb bodily with reference to the reflector to depress the beam, by moving the reflector, rby changing thc angle of the beam through the energization of a different filament. The latter arrangement is conventionally used and is illustrated for the purpose of exemplifying the invention.

In the drawing:

Figures 1 to 4 are similar diagrams illustrating the circuit connections which are operative in the four positions of the main control switch, and the modifications thereof effective in the operation of the foot dimmer switch.

Figure 5 is a detail View in perspective, of one of the contacts of the primary switch.

Figure 6 is a cross sectional view longitudinally of said switch.

-Like parts are identified by the same reference characters throughout the several views.

The details of the switch structure are immaterial to the present invention, which is concerned primarily with the circuits established. It is suicient to note that a stationary Contact carrier in the form of a dielectric plate 11 carries two rows of hemispherical contacts, some of which are used singly and others of which are electrically connected together in pairs. As viewed in Figs. 1 to 4, the left hand row of contacts includes a single Contact 7, a pair of contacts 1, a contact 4a, a pair of contacts 3, a contact t (connected with contact 4a), and a contact 8. The right hand row includes a pair of contacts 9, a pair of contacts 5, a pair of contactsH, a contact 6, and a contact 7a connected with the contact 7 in the left hand row. "The-source of current conventionally illustrated as a y 4a. The tail lamp 5 is connected with contacts 5. The bright or main filament 6 of the right hand headlamp is connected with contact 6. The bright or main filament 7 of the left hand headlamp is connected with contacts 7 and 7a. The dim filament 8" of the left hand head1-amp is connected with contact 8. A 'dimmer switch, which may be of the type shown in Patent No. 1,763,028 dated June 10, 1930, has its supply terminal 9 connected with contacts 9 of the main lamp switch. The dimlner switch includes a pedal 10 adapted for actuation by the operators foot, and its mechanism alternatively couples its terminal 9 either with the terminal D or with terminal H. Termin-al D is connected with the side lamp circuit including contacts 3 and lamps 3'. The terminal H is connected with contacts H of the main switch. The battery and the several lamps are respectively grounded to complete the return circuit.

The cross shown in broken lines at 15 in Figs. 1 to 4, is a movable contact having four fiexible'arms embossed at their tips as shown at 16 in Fig. 5, the spacing between the embossed contact areas of the contactor 15 being such that two of the arms will co-act with the fixed contacts at the left of the main switch, and two of the arms will co-act with opposite contacts at the right of the main switch. In each case the arms do not engage successive contacts. There is always one intervening contact which is not engaged unless the switch is adjusted to a new position. It will be understood that the contactor 1.5 is provided with a dielectric mounting upon a rod 17 which passes through the instrument panel 18 and carries a knob at 19 for its reciprocation.

Also carried by the rod 17, which serves an actuator for the main switch, are two contactors 20, each of which has two contact arms 21 aligned with the respective rows of contacts of the main switch, and so spaced that they skip one intervening contact and engage only alternate contacts. The relative positions of the contacts 20 and the contact 15 are shown by the broken lines in Figs. 1 to 4.

In association with the filaments of the several lamps diagrammatically illustrated in Figs. 1 to 4, are various beams diagrammatically showing` the energization of such filaments. It will be noted that in Fig. 1 none of the filaments are energized. In Fig. 2 the actuating rod 17 of the main switch has been withdrawn one step, thereby completing a circuit from the battery through contacts 3 and 5 for the energization of the side and tail lamps 3 and 5', no other lamps being energized.

In the position of the parts diagrammatically illustrated in Fig. 3, the actuator 17 of the main switch has been moved for an addi` tional step and is now in a position intended for use in city drivin in which the right hand beam is never tog-be used at full intensity and the left hand beam may be used bright or dim as desired, according to the manipulation of the foot dinnner switch.

As can readily be perceived from the diagram, the position of the contacts is now such that the current from the battery is transmitted to contact 5 for the energization of the tail lamp filament, to contact 4a for the energization of the dim filament 4 of the right hand headlamp, and to contact 9 for the energization of terminal 9 of the foot dimmer switch.

If the foot dimmer switch is so positioned as to energize its terminal D, the side lamps 3 will be directly energized and the dim filament 8 of the left hand headlamp will be energized through contact 20 of the main switch, which connects contacts 3 and 8 thereof. If the position of the foot dimmer switch be slrch as to energize its terminal H', the contacts H of the main switch will be energized and the current will pass through the other strip contactor 20 of the main switch to contact 7a, and thence to the bright filament 7 of the left headlamp. In this case the dim filament 8 ofthe left headlamp, and also the filaments of the side lamps will, of course, be de-energized by the shifting of the position of the contactor in the foot dimmer switch.

The Fig. 4 position of the parts is the one intended for use in country driving. The main switch actuator 17 has been withdrawn another step. In this position of the contactors the current supplied by the battery contactor 15 directly to the bright filament 7 of the left hand headlamp through contacts 7 and 7a. It also passes through contact 5 to the tail lamp filament 5. It also passes through contact 9 to the terminal 9 of the foot dimmer switch which may be adjusted alternatively to energize either the terminals D or H of such switch.

If the switch be adjusted to energize terminal H', the current passes from that terminal back to contacts H of the main switch, and thence through one 'of the strip contacts 20 to main switch terminal 6, whereby the bright filament 6 of the right hand lamp is energized. If the foot dimmer switch be set in its other position to energize its terminal D, the side lamps 3 will be directly energized, and the dim filament 4 of the right hand headlamp will be energized through contacts 3 of the main switch, through the other strip contactor 20 and contact 4 of the main switch.

It will be apparent from the foregoing analysis, and from the wiring diagrams, that the present invention employs a main lighting switch not only for the control ot its lto the contactors 1 passes through the moving usual functions, but also to modify the effect of an auxiliary foot dimmer switch. Thus, for country driving, when both headlights are ordinarily bright the foot dimmer switch, when used, will only dim the right hand headlight, thus removing all glare from the eyes of drivers of approaching vehicles while keeping the left hand headlamp at full brilliance to illuminate the ditch.

If, on the other hand, the main switch is adjusted for city driving with the left hand headlamp bright and the right hand headlamp dim, the operation of the foot dimming switch will effect an additional dimming operation by also dimming the left headlamp.

It is particularly noteworthy that whenever the lights are dimed below their ordinary state, through the o eration of a foot dimmer switch, the side lig ts are thrown into the circuit, thus outlining the car and tending to prevent collision such as might otherwise occur as a result of the sudden decrease in illumination. 'It is emphasized that the entire sequence of lighting effects is achieved in the use of only two switch mechanisms despite the complexities resulting from the selective dimmingof the front headlights and the simultaneous energization of the side lamp circuits.

It is also noteworthy that in all operative functionin of the dimming switch, its effect is invariably to shift from dim to bright and bright to dim'upon consecutive actuations of the pedal 10. Thus, regardless of the particular setting of the main switch1 contact actuator, the operator is not obliged to alter the accustomed use of the dimming switch. In fact, the dimming switch operates in the same manner in which it has previously been used in simpler circuits.

I claim:

1. The combination with headlamps having bright and dim adjustments, of manually controlled means for selectively energizing both of said lamps in the bright adjustment at one setting, and energizing one of said lamps in the bright adjustment and one in the dim adjustment in another setting, and a dimming switch-includin means for selectively dimming one of sai lamps in the first mentioned setting and, b the same operation, dimming the other o said lamps in the second mentioned setting, said manually controlled means including contacts operatively connected to vary the eect of said dimming switch according to the setting of said man- 'justable between`various settings and including contacts and circuit connections ada ted in one setting to energize directly the bright adjustment of one headlamp, and indirectly through said dimmer switch to energize alternatively the bright' or dim adjustment of the other headlamp, said manually operable switch being adapted in another position to energize directly the dim adjustment ot one headlamp, and indirectly to energize through said dimmer switch alternatively the bright or dim adjustment of the other headlamp.

3. An automobile circuit including the combination with headlamps having bright and dim adjustments, of a dimmer switch, a manually controllable switch mechanism adjustable between various settings and including contacts and circuit connections adapted in one setting to energize directly the bright adjustment of one headlamp, and indirectly through said dimmer switch to energize alternatively the bright or dim adjustment of the other headlamp, said manually operable switch being adapted in another position to energize directly the dim adjustment of one headlam and indirectly to energize through said immer switch alternatively the bright or dim adjustment of the other headlamp, together with side lamps provided with connections to be energized through said dimmer switch whenever said dimmer switch is adjusted to energize the dim headlight adjustment of the lamp controlled thereby.

4. An automobile lighting circuit including a dimmer switch, a manually operable switch mechanism, headlamps including bright and dim filaments, and means actuated in accordance with said manually operable switch mechanism, whereby in different settings thereof the dimmer switch is effective on different headlamps to vary the energization as between the bright and dim filaments thereof.

5. An automobile lighting circuit including the combination with right and left headlamps having bright and dim circuits, a dimming switch including output terminals adapted for connection alternatively to energize the bright or the dim circuit of a given headlamp, a main lightin switch controllin the operation df the headlamps and inclu ing contacts and circuit connections for determining the headlamp upon which the dimming switch is effective.

6. An automobile lighting circuit including the combination with right and left headlamps having bright and dim circuits, a dimming switch including output terminals adapted for connection alternatively to energize the bright or the dim circuit of a given headlamp, a main lighting switch controlling the operation of the headlamps and includin contacts and circuit connections for determlnin'g the headlamp rupon which the dimming switch is effective, said main lighting lamp is directl energized, and the dimming switch is supp ied with current for the alternative energization of the bright or dim cir- -cuits of the right hand headlam and in an 5 other position of said main lig ting switch the dim circuit of the right hand headlamp is directly energized and the dimming switch suptplied with current and connected to the le hand headlamp for the alternative enerlJ gization of its bright and dim circuits.

7. An automobile lighting circuit including the combinationwith right and left headlamps having bright and dim circuits, a dimming switch including output terminals adapted for connection alternatively to energize the bright or the dim circuit of a given headlamp, a main lighting switch controlling the operation of the headlamps and including contacts and circuit connections for deter- 23 mining the headlamp upon which the dimming switch is effective, said mainlighting switch also including contacts and ,connections such that in one lighting switch position the bright circuit of the left hand headlamp is directly energized, and the dimming switch is supplied with `current for the alternative energization of the bright or dim circuits of the right hand headlamp, and in another position of said main lighting switch the dim circuit of theright hand headlamp is directly energized and the dimming switch supplied with current and connected to the left hand headlamp for the alternative energization of its bright and dim circuits, together with a pair of side lights and circuit connections whereby said side lights are energized in the dimming position of the dimming switch irrespcctive of the headlamp a'lected thereby.

\ROBERT K. WINNING. 

